Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Tanzania, was appointed as Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity on 8 June 2020. 

Since December 2019, Mrema has been the Acting Executive Secretary of the CBD Secretariat.  Prior to that, Mrema served as Director of the Law Division at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya.  With over two decades of experience at the United Nations, Mrema brings to the position extensive experience in global environmental law and policymaking, implementation of environmental and sustainable development programmes, and a deep knowledge of multilateral processes. 

Mrema holds a Master of Law degree from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations and Diplomacy from the Centre of Foreign Relations and Diplomacy in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and a Bachelor of Law from the University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.